Jeffrey Gibson

Jeffrey Gibson's extensive body of work includes a diverse range of artistic expressions, such as hard-edged abstract painting, performance art, filmmaking, and significant roles as a convener and curator. For over two decades, he has examined how language, pattern, and music construct meaning, synthesizing Indigenous and Western traditions and revealing new possibilities for abstraction, text, and colour.

We have had the privilege of collaborating with Jeffrey Gibson over the last five years. Most recently, we assisted him in creating four stunning pieces     for The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Genesis Facade Commission. The installation, titled “Jeffrey Gibson, The Animal That Therefore I Am" marks the sixth instalment in a series of contemporary commissions for The Met’s historic exterior. It is on view to the public from September 2025 until June 2026.

The four sculptures- a deer, hawk, squirrel, and coyote- draw on Gibson's well-developed iconography and sculptural practice, which combines Native North American aesthetic traditions and histories with abstracted patterning evoking materials like beading and textiles. Drawing upon his knowledge of Indigenous kinship philosophies and the lectures of Jacques Derrida, Gibson's sculptures emphasise the deep relationship between humans and animals, as well as their connection to the earth.

Our Rock Tavern team made two trips to Gibson’s studio in Hudson, NY, to digitally scan the original maquettes of the deer, hawk, squirrel, and coyote. Our digital team processed the data and created three-dimensional files to prepare for digital sculpting. They collaborated directly with Gibson to adjust the designs, adding texture and beads to enhance the sculptures using augmented reality (AR) headsets. During the fabrication process, the Rock Tavern team first created PMMA prints of the deer, hawk, squirrel, and coyote. They were then shelled and cast in silicon bronze. The metal was removed from the shells and sent to the welding department. Gibson personally supervised the application of the patina to ensure that each sculpture aligned with his artistic vision, giving the sculptures a unique and weathered appearance.

In the final reveal, the sculptures were impressive in both size and weight. The deer stands at 10 feet 3 inches, the hawk at 9 feet 2.5 inches, the squirrel at 9 feet 6 inches, and the coyote at 9 feet 4.5 inches. Together, these four majestic sculptures weigh a total of 5,381.9 pounds. The individual weights of each animal are as follows: the deer weighs 1,195 pounds, the hawk weighs 1,585 pounds, the squirrel weighs 1,361.5 pounds, and the coyote weighs 1,210.4 pounds.